Bucs-Dolphins will not play in Miami on Sunday; NFL still deciding where and when

Posted by Charean Williams on September 5, 2017, 4:37 PM EDT

AP

The NFL announced that the Dolphins will not host the Buccaneers on Sunday as originally scheduled, but the league has not determined when or where the teams will play the game.

This is the NFL’s statement:

“Due to the potential impact of Hurricane Irma on South Florida, the Miami Dolphins home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, originally scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium, will not be played in Miami on Sunday, the NFL announced today.

“In the interest of public safety in light of the current state of emergency, the NFL, in consultation with state and local officials as well as both clubs, has decided that playing an NFL game in South Florida this week is not appropriate.

“The league will continue to examine other options, including playing the game this Sunday at a neutral site or in Miami later this season, and will provide an update on that decision as soon as possible.”

67 responses to “Bucs-Dolphins will not play in Miami on Sunday; NFL still deciding where and when”

No Hurricane will hit Miami. I ma basing it on the George Costanza theory – every decision Goodell has ever made in his life is exactly the opposite of the right one. So, Miami will be missing the hurricane, absolutely.

Playing it in week 11 and giving both teams a week 1 bye really screws both teams pretty badly, particularly Miami with their trip to London mid-season. Playing it either at a neutral site, or moving it up to Thursday so people have plenty of time to evacuate seems much more fair to both the teams.

Miami will now have 6 home games and 10 road games this season. This along with all of the injuries to starters last season and beginning of this season, things could not have been more difficult for Gase to start his head coaching career. He’s handled it well, though.

‘In the interest of public safety in light of the current state of emergency, the NFL, in consultation with state and local officials as well as both clubs, has decided that playing an NFL game in South Florida this week is not appropriate.’

… but we’re not willing to sacrafice the revenue from the game, so we’re going to inconvenience the players and team staff and make them play elsewhere while a hurricane destroys their homes and displaces their families.

Moving the game to week 11 really puts both teams at a huge disadvantage. Asking a team to play 16 weeks straight is unfair. This puts players at a higher risk of injury and it gives the teams less time for players who are already injured to heal up.

I know other people besides myself have said this, but in the NFLs search for more revenue and the players wanting more safety, I’ve always thought that extending the season by a week and adding a second bye week makes a ton of sense… Not saying it would save these teams in this case, but it might have, had they had a second bye week.

Why not Thursday night? If they lose there bye week, Miami and Tampa should be giving the first 2 picks ( bonus ) in 2018 draft, with the loser of there game getting the first pick. If any team bitches, then take away there bye week. bill

“dsigrey says:
September 5, 2017 at 4:59 pm
They will reschedule it for Thursday night so Goodell will be able to say that he needed to be there to show support for the people of Florida, thus avoiding the 70K Goodell clown towels at Gillette.”

finsphan says:
September 5, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Moving the game to week 11 really puts both teams at a huge disadvantage. Asking a team to play 16 weeks straight is unfair. This puts players at a higher risk of injury and it gives the teams less time for players who are already injured to heal up.

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I agree… There is no other way reschedule without disrupting something majorly at the end of the season. The best thing to do is play at a neutral site. Carolina or New Orleans. U2 is playing in Indy.

50 years ago Patriots had to play the Chargers in San Diego for a second time in 29 days due the 1967 World Series. Though that baseball game wasn’t played in Boston till 3 days aft the football game was scheduled for Boston October 8, powers that be decided to play @ San Diego again instead of @Boston. Don’t recall the rationale (turnaround time/field prep issues?) No perfect solution 2017 limitations considered, perhaps Miami playing the game in Tampa Bay or at a neutral field somewhere another best attempt make wine out of water.)

Kerouac says:
September 5, 2017 at 5:31 pm
50 years ago Patriots had to play the Chargers in San Diego for a second time in 29 days due the 1967 World Series. Though that baseball game wasn’t played in Boston till 3 days aft the football game was scheduled for Boston October 8, powers that be decided to play @ San Diego again instead of @Boston. Don’t recall the rationale (turnaround time/field prep issues?) No perfect solution 2017 limitations considered, perhaps Miami playing the game in Tampa Bay or at a neutral field somewhere another best attempt make wine out of water.)
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Didn’t the Patriots have a “home opener” in Alabama against Joe Namath and the Jets because of a scheduling conflict with the Red Sox and Fenway Park?

Seems like a Thursday night game is really the only viable option. It’d be ridiculous to give bye weeks in Week 1 and a neutral site would have as many (if not more) issues as moving it up to Thursday.

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Didn’t the Patriots have a “home opener” in Alabama against Joe Namath and the Jets because of a scheduling conflict with the Red Sox and Fenway Park?
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No, not in 1967 – but they did have what you reference in the Jets 1968 World Championship season. Of note, 1967 Patriots actually had their ‘bye week’ after their September 24 game that year, i.e., on October 1, but the Chargers played that day so the two teams could not have played that week any way (Chargers bye did not occur until post game 9, that season.)

jrquiz says:
September 5, 2017 at 4:44 pm
The big question is where this leaves Jay Ajai owners. I was counting on a big game out of my belly cow this weekend.
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First off as one of the millions of people that may be displaced by Irma let me say words fail me in my effort to express my concern over the non existent football team that has consumed your humanity. Secondly the phrase is bell cow not belly cow.

My guess is, that the game wasn’t moved up to Thursday or Friday, because of possible evacuation of Florida Keys, tourists are already ordered to leave, and the rest of the population might follow. To add the traffic and police resources, when the roads are already jammed, wouldn’t be responsible, NFL has no other choice at this point than not playing in south Florida.

It will not be played Thursday in Miami period. The governor declared a state of emergency for every county in Florida. That being said it is mandatory 12 hours shift for law enforcement. Also, all 7000 reserves have been called to duty. That being said, who cares about a football game when a monster storm is heading this way.

Adam Schefter is reporting that the game will likely be played during both of the teams’ bye week. This storm could be the worst ever recorded and it may turn upward and tear through the whole state of Florida.

NFL is once again not prepared, this should be a contingency already established. Regionally and indoors are key, there are several options. Main focus is getting game played. Chicago is a marketing dream for J Cut. Offer tickets with a contrib to Red Cross as they are gonna need it after Irma ala Houston.